Improved firerescape ladder



GEORGE SKINNER, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.'

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 82,358, dated September 22, 18638.

To all whom #may concern:

Be it. known that I, GEORGE SKINNER, of Brooklyn, in the county of Kingsand State of New York, have inventedv a new and useful Improvement. in Truck, Fire-Escape Ladder 5 and I do hereby declare thatthe following is va full, clear, and exact description thereof,

which will enable others skilled.l inthe art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification. Figure l isa side view of my improved ladder-raised,part being broken away to show the .construction Fig. 2 is afrontview of the same, parts being broken away to show the construction. Fig. 3 is a side view of the same lowered, part being broken away.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

Myinvention has for its object to furnish an improved truck extension-ladder, designed especially for use as a lire-escape, but equally adapted for any of the purposes to which an extension-ladder can be applied, and which shall at the same time be light, strong, simple in construction, and easily operated; and it consists in the construction and combination of various parts, as hereinafter more fully described.

A are the wheels, to the axle B of which is rigidly attached the lower end of the lower section of the ladder O, each upper section of which slides up and down in grooves in the side bars of the next lower section in the ordinary manner, and they are raised and lowered by ropes and shafts.

To the lower part of the ladder C are rigidly attached the side bars of the frame D, which projects at right angles from the ladder C, with which and with axle B the connection of the said frame is strengthened by braces, as shown in the gures. The side bars of the `fra1ne D are jointed or hinged, as shown in Figs. l and 3, so that when the ladder is arranged for transportation, or is leaned, when raised, against a iixed support, the said frame may be turned up out of the way, as shown in Fig. 3. When the frame D is extended, it is made rigid by the sliding bolts d1, as shown in Figs. l and 3.

d2 is a leg, pivoted to the middle part of the frame D, which, when the ladder is raised a little beyond a vertical position, restsupon the ground, and assists in. supporting the ladder., E is a cross-bar, rigidly attached tothe lower part oftheladder O at a little distance 'om the ame D,A and which is further.

strengthened and I secured in position by braces, as shownin Figs. 1 and 2. ThecrossbarE is.4 provided with extension-arms c', by

the. extension ofwhich, as shown invFig. 2,-

the said b ar maybe lengthened to give increased leverage, ,for convenience 4in handling1 vthe ladder. j Y

F are the sidev guys, the upper ends of which are attached to the side barsvof the ladder C, and the lower ends of which are attached to the cross-bar E near its ends. G are the front guys, the upper ends of which are attached to the upper parts of the side bars of the ladder C, and the lower ends of which are attached to the outer ends of the arms H, the inner ends of which are secured to the side bars of the ladder C, and which are supported by the braces I, as shown in Figs. l and 3.`

J are chains, which form the, continuation of the front guys G. The upper ends of the chains J are attached to the outer ends of the arms H, and their lower ends are attached to the frame D, as shown in Figs. l, 2, and 3.

K is a frame, the upper end of which is pivoted to the projecting angles of the braces I. The side bars of the trame K pass down upon the outer sides of the ladder C, and to the lower end of said frame is pivoted the standard L of the caster-wheel M, so that when the ladder Gis lowered into a horizontal position, it may be transported from place to place upon three wheels, A A M.

The upper projecting end of the standard'L is so formed as to receive a lever or tiller, N, by means of which the apparatus may be conveniently guided by a person riding upon it while it is being drawn from place to place.

It' desired, shafts or a tongue may be attached to the axle B, so that the ladder may be drawn by horse-power.

O is a rope or chain, one end of which is attached to the lower end of the frame K, and

the other end of which is attached to the shaft P, pivoted to the lower part of the ladder C, and provided with gearing connecting it with the crank-shaft Q, to which the cranks R are attached, so that, by winding up the rope O upon, the shaft P, the lower end of the frame K will be drawn toward the lower end of the ladder C, raising the upper end of said ladder.

The shafts P and Q are provided with ratchet-wheels andpawls, and with devices for throwing the shaft Q into and out of gear with the shaft P and with the shaft S, by which the extension parts of the ladder are raised and lowered.

T are brackets, attached to the side bars of the ladder C in such positions as to receive the side bars of the frame K when the ladder has been raised nearly to a vertical position,

as shown in Fig. 1.

By this construction, when the ladder C is raised into a vertical position, it will be sup` portedv wholly upon the two wheels A, and when in this position it may be conveniently and easily handled by lmeans of the frame D and extension cross-bar Ei When in this position, should theladder incline forward, the leg d2 will come in contact with the ground, and the ladder will be supported upon the two wheels A and the leg d2 3 and should the ladder incline rearward, the caster-wheelM will come in contact with the ground',vand the ladder will be supported upon the three wheels A A M, thus eectually guarding against any accident from the accidental falling of the lad-'S der while being used.

It should be observed that the size of the Y ladder may be varied as desired, according to the purpose for which it isto be used, whetherv as va fire-escape, or forv trimming trees, picking fruit, or any other purpose for which it may be used.

Y ',llavingA thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Let- 'ters Patent, is-

1. The peculiar arrangement and combination of the pivoted frame K, caster-wheel M, rope or chain 0, and shaft P with each other and with the ladder C, axle'B, and' wheels A, A

substantially as herein shown and described, and forthe purpose set forth.

2. Thecon'ibination-of the frame D and leg d2 with the ladder G, axle B, and wheels A,

substantially as herein shown and described,

and for the purposeset forth.

3. The combination of the rextension cross` bar E and e' @"with the ladder C, aXleB, and

wheels A, substantially 'as herein shown and Y 

